“… It is not money that takes people away from the Church but classical liberalism, which commodifies everything. Poland is interesting in this regard, as just over half of the Catholic population still attends Mass, and there is a strong rural and traditional element there. It would be interesting to see where Hungary lands in this ranking.

“Rich countries can be quite religious; capitalist countries rarely are. The two are simply not compatible, and the more a society is committed to one, the less it can be committed to the other. Of course, individuals will vary, but societies follow the prevailing course. At least that is my working theory.”

John Médaille, Irving Texas.

New Oxford Review, Letters, Sept. 2023

Proverbs 15:27 – He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

Proverbs 20:21 – An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

Proverbs 28:25 – He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 – He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

Matthew 6:24 – No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:33 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Luke 12:15 – And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Film: Peter Ustinov as Herod the Great in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1977, Jesus of Nazareth